1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with an improved, portable, collapsible basketball goal assembly which can be elevated to a regulation playing height and alternately lowered to a storage position. More particularly, it is concerned with such a basketball goal assembly which is especially constructed to achieve a very low storage profile permitting the assembly to be stored in a conventional garage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many youngsters and young adults enjoy playing basketball at their homes, using for this purpose a mounted backboard and goal of the well-known variety. In this regard, the conventional approach has been to mount a backboard and goal on a garage roof or on a permanent supporting pole, typically at a regulation height wherein the goal hoop is ten feet from the playing surface.
The foregoing approach has a number of problems however. First, some communities now have ordinances to the effect that basketball backboards and goals cannot be permanently mounted on garage roofs or adjacent driveways, inasmuch as it is felt that such equipment is unslightly and detracts from the overall appearance of the community. In addition, while a backboard and goal situated at the regulation height are desirable for teenagers and adults, such a height setting can present difficult playing conditions for youngsters because of their inability to effectively shoot a basketball to the required height. In response to this, it has been known to position a backboard and goal assembly at a lowered position, but here again permanent or relatively permanent backboard installation at a lower than regulation height can be expensive and is inherently only a transitory proposition.
In response to the foregoing problems, it has been known to provide portable basketball goal assemblies. These units are typically provided with a mobile base and upstanding frame structure, and in many cases the frame structure provides a degree of collapsibility so that the goal assembly can be lowered to a storage position when not in use. Typical prior basketball goal assemblies of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,504,166, 1,924,811, 3,025,058, 3,427,025, 3,722,886 and Des. No. 255,040.
While portable and collapsible basketball goal assemblies have been proposed in the past, a number of practical problems remain. Perhaps the most significant problem in this regard is that prior assemblies are generally incapable of being collapsed to an overall height permitting the assembly to be wheeled into a conventional automotive garage. That is to say, in the usual garage the vertical door opening is no more than about 82 inches in height; and with prior collapsible goal assemblies, the overall height thereof in their storage position is greater than 82 inches.
In addition to the foregoing, many prior collapsible assemblies have not provided an intermediate playing position between the lowered, storage position and the uppermost, regulation playing position. Thus, these prior assemblies cannot accommodate the youthful player.